Share with Care

Data about you can be used in a variety of ways, sometimes in ways you wouldn’t expect or even approve. That’s why it’s important to understand the value of your personal information and how to manage it when possible. In this digitally-connected age, people continue to spend a lot of time online despite their concerns about security and privacy. It is equally important to exercise the same level of care or better when posting information about someone else. Apply the Golden Rule Online: Post only about others as you would have them post about you.

Social Media

Social media – which includes everything from personal news updates, photo sharing and live streaming video – continues to be a very popular online activity. As convenient and fun as these platforms are for all age groups to communicate, privacy settings don’t always prevent personal information from being shared beyond the intended audience and without a user’s knowledge.

41 percent of Americans have been personally subjected to harassing behavior online and nearly one in five (18%) has been subjected to particularly severe forms of harassment online, such as physical threats, harassment over a sustained period, sexual harassment or stalking.

Eighty-two percent of cyberstalkers use social media to find out information about potential victims – for example, where they live and which school they attend.

The NCSA/Microsoft 2017 “Keeping up with Generation App” survey revealed that across the board from a privacy perspective, young people report that they are “very concerned” about someone:

Accessing their accounts without their permission

Sharing personal information about them online that they prefer to keep private